Choosing Cabinetry Finishes for Southwest Florida

A cabinet finish is chosen in a showroom in a few minutes. It is then lived with for many years. In Southwest Florida, those years include humid summers, homes that may sit closed for months, and, near the coast, salt in the air. The finish that looks best on the first day is not always the finish that looks best 10 years on.

Choosing well starts with understanding what wood does in a humid place.

Why humidity matters

Wood moves

Wood takes on moisture from the air and gives it back. As it does, it swells and shrinks. The USDA Forest Products Laboratory notes that this movement is small along the grain and much larger across it. A solid wood door panel grows and shrinks in width far more than in height.

Good cabinetmakers build for this. A traditional 5 piece door has a frame of rails and stiles with a center panel that floats in a groove, free to move without cracking the frame. Plywood and fiberboard, with their layered or uniform structure, move much less.

Indoor humidity is the real variable

Cabinet manufacturers publish recommended indoor humidity ranges in their care guides. Medallion Cabinetry, for example, describes 40 to 50 percent relative humidity as ideal and warns that uncontrolled levels above 80 percent or below 20 percent are likely to cause problems such as swollen doors and separated joints. Showplace Cabinetry recommends keeping indoor humidity between 30 and 55 percent.

For seasonal residents, this is the most important point in the article. A home closed up for the summer with the air conditioning set very high, or turned off, can reach humidity levels that cabinetry was never meant to endure. Talk with your HVAC contractor about how to control humidity while you are away.

Acclimation

Cabinetry should be stored in a climate controlled space and allowed to adjust to the home before installation. Manufacturers make this a condition in their guidance for good reason. Cabinets installed while a house is still open to the weather, or while drywall and tile are still drying, can move once the house settles into its normal conditions.

The main finish types

Painted

Painted cabinetry gives a clean, solid color and suits everything from crisp white kitchens to deep, saturated tones. It is among the most requested finishes, and it has an honest characteristic worth knowing.

Paint forms a continuous film across the surface. Where 2 pieces of wood meet, such as the joint between a door’s rail and stile, seasonal movement can open a fine hairline in that film. Manufacturer care guides note that small lines may appear at joints when humidity is unstable, so they are more likely in a house where conditions swing widely. Painted doors made from MDF, or with MDF center panels, can reduce them, because the material moves less than solid wood.

Painted finishes also show chips more readily than stained wood, since the color sits on the surface. Ask about touch up kits.

Stained

A stain colors the wood itself, and a clear topcoat protects it. The grain remains visible, and the finish tends to hide small wear and the movement at joints. Species matter. Oak and hickory show strong grain, while maple is finer and more even. Medallion’s care guide also notes that oak, hickory and maple move more with humidity than species such as knotty alder.

Stained wood suits warm, natural kitchens, and it pairs well with the coastal light of Southwest Florida.

Thermofoil

Thermofoil is a vinyl film heated and pressed over a shaped fiberboard core. It offers a smooth, uniform surface, often in solid colors, and it cleans easily.

Its weakness is heat. Manufacturers warn that high heat, including from the self cleaning cycle of an oven, can discolor or loosen thermofoil. Their care guides commonly call for heat shields beside ovens and ranges and advise opening nearby doors and drawers during a self cleaning cycle. Hot appliances such as toasters should be pulled out from under wall cabinets before use.

Laminate

High pressure laminate is a layered, resin based surface bonded to a stable core. It resists moisture and staining well and comes in a wide range of solid colors and wood looks. It suits contemporary, frameless cabinetry with flat slab doors. As with any surface on a fiberboard core, edges and any damage that lets water reach the core need attention.

Hardware near the coast

The finish on pulls, knobs and hinges deserves the same thought as the finish on the doors. Humid and salty air can be hard on some metal finishes over time. When comparing hardware, ask how each finish is expected to wear in a coastal home, and how it should be cleaned.

Protecting finishes in daily use

Most cabinet manufacturers give similar care advice:

Wipe spills promptly and dry the surface.
Clean with a soft cloth and mild soap in warm water.
Avoid abrasive cleaners, harsh solvents and ammonia, especially on thermofoil and acrylic.
Do not hang damp towels over cabinet doors.
Give new finishes time to cure fully. Showplace describes about 30 days for finishes to reach full performance.

The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association tests certified finishes for resistance to heat, humidity, cold and common household spills, which is useful when comparing lines.

Matching the finish to the room

Kitchens

A kitchen can use more than 1 finish. A painted perimeter with a stained island is a familiar pairing, and it lets the island carry warmth while the perimeter stays light.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms see the most moisture in the house. A finish here should be durable and the box well protected, particularly at the sink base. Good ventilation is as important as the finish itself.

Outdoor kitchens and lanais

Interior cabinet finishes are not made for outdoor conditions. Outdoor kitchens call for materials designed for exterior use, a subject covered on the outdoor kitchens and lanais page.

See finishes in daylight

Finishes change with light. A white that reads soft in the showroom can look stark under a skylight. The SeaGlass showroom in Bonita Springs has full kitchen and bath displays, and samples can be taken home to see in your own light. You are welcome to visit or request a consultation. For more on construction choices, see custom cabinetry vs. stock cabinets and the custom cabinetry page.

Choosing Cabinetry Finishes for Southwest Florida Homes